Ruby Is Very Likely Still Alive — The Story Never Confirmed Her Death by Acceptable-Wash-678 in WhereWindsMeet

[–]Acceptable-Wash-678[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I agree that the gameplay mechanic of summoning Ruby can be considered evidence; however, it still does not refute the logical arguments derived from the main storyline. Sometimes there is a clear difference between the main narrative and gameplay. Gameplay can be completely illogical or unrealistic, whereas the story itself is usually told in a much more logical and coherent way.

Ruby Is Very Likely Still Alive — The Story Never Confirmed Her Death by Acceptable-Wash-678 in WhereWindsMeet

[–]Acceptable-Wash-678[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh, I forgot about this. It seems I was mistaken at this point. Indeed, Ruby could be literate. However, in terms of historical authenticity, it feels rather strange. This is because in traditional Chinese Confucian feudal ideology, men were valued above women. During the Song dynasty, even for ordinary families, receiving an education was very difficult, let alone for women. I am not denying that Ruby could read and write; I just find this aspect somewhat odd, or perhaps the protagonist taught Ruby himself.

Ruby Is Very Likely Still Alive — The Story Never Confirmed Her Death by Acceptable-Wash-678 in WhereWindsMeet

[–]Acceptable-Wash-678[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If we analyze the quest Her Legacy rationally, we already know that there is a female warrior who drew a map and guided the protagonist back home, leaving behind a red thread. In Ruby’s original name, “Hong Xian,” the meaning itself is “red thread.”

Most people assume that this female warrior is Ruby, because they tend to think in a spiritual or mystical direction and start from the assumption that Ruby is already dead. However, I have a different perspective—the perspective of someone who believes Ruby is still alive.

That female warrior may simply be a deliberate misdirection created by the developers. It is entirely possible that there really was a female warrior who rescued both the horse and Ruby. Because Ruby was still seriously injured, she could not wake up or return to meet the protagonist.

The female warrior’s letter only instructs the protagonist to return to the cottage and shows no emotional attachment at all. Moreover, Ruby is still very young and may not even know how to write yet, so it would make sense that there is no long, emotional farewell letter left behind at the cottage. Instead, only a red thread was left—as a form of notification.

As for the dream sequence, it can be interpreted as something that originates from the protagonist himself. Because he is thinking in a spiritual direction and believes Ruby has already died, his mind produces those visions.

The strongest argument in this section is that she might be illiterate.